Imperial College London acceptance rate during the 2024/25 academic year is only 10% for undergraduate programs and 15% for postgraduate courses. As one of the most prestigious universities around the world, ranking 2nd in the QS World University Rankings 2026, Imperial College London has attracted thousands of students from many different countries to pursue higher education here. Hence, it naturally becomes a particularly competitive institution. In this guide, we will break down the Imperial acceptance rate from divergent perspectives, including course, gender, and nationality. Some practical information and tips for making your application stand out are also provided to increase your success rate.
Overview of Imperial College London Acceptance Rate
Firstly, we need to determine the meaning and function of the acceptance rate and the calculation method. This will help us better understand the following parts. The acceptance rate is used to determine the proportion of applicants being admitted into a school, which can be calculated through this formula—Number of places confirmed/Total number of applications received. As for offer rates, they are calculated in a similar way, except considering the number of offers given. Generally, the offer rates are much higher than the acceptance rates. The reason may be the fact that the students with an offer miss the entry requirement or choose another university.
Although the offer rates and acceptance rates are both important to be considered, the offer rates are more crucial. Once we get the offer, we only need to be well-prepared for the grade and material requirements. In addition, we may be apprehensive about the incredibly low acceptance rate of some courses in Imperial and avoid submitting applications for such programs. Under this condition, don’t forget to look at the offer rates. Probably, it isn’t as difficult as you thought. Now, let’s compare how these rates have changed over the past 5 years.
Imperial College London Acceptance Rate (Undergraduate)
From the diagram below, we can see that, in 2024—2025, the IC offer rate of undergraduate courses, 25%, and the acceptance rate, 10%, are both the lowest in the past few years. It is obvious that the growing fame and strength of Imperial College London leads to fiercer competition. The number of applicants to IC undergraduate programs has increased yearly, while the offers given are slightly fewer than in the past. With the combination of more applications and fewer offers, both the Imperial acceptance rates and the offer rates have decreased.
| Year | Applications | Offers | Entrants | Offer Rates | Acceptance Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 32,887 | 8,264 | 3,474 | 25% | 10% |
| 2023/24 | 30,739 | 7,948 | 3,137 | 26% | 10% |
| 2022/23 | 28,877 | 7,616 | 3,092 | 26% | 11% |
| 2021/22 | 28,905 | 7,821 | 3,308 | 27% | 11% |
| 2020/21 | 25,780 | 8,758 | 3,454 | 34% | 13% |
Imperial College London Acceptance Rate (Postgraduate)
Things have started looking a little more favourable for taught postgraduate applicants to Imperial. For 2024–25, offer and acceptance rates for postgraduate taught programmes rose slightly compared with last year, largely because both applications and offers have increased. By contrast, acceptance rates for postgraduate research programmes have fallen.
- Postgraduate Research
| Year | Applications | Offers | Entrants | Offer Rates | Acceptance Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 4,139 | 1,168 | 679 | 28% | 16% |
| 2023/24 | 3,584 | 1,067 | 631 | 30% | 18% |
| 2022/23 | 3,079 | 931 | 554 | 30% | 18% |
| 2021/22 | 2,065 | 907 | 568 | 44% | 28% |
| 2020/21 | 2,025 | 929 | 551 | 46% | 27% |
- Postgraduate Taught Certificate
| Year | Applications | Offers | Entrants | Offer Rates | Acceptance Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 364 | 169 | 127 | 46% | 35% |
| 2023/24 | 356 | 157 | 122 | 44% | 34% |
| 2022/23 | 322 | 172 | 118 | 53% | 37% |
| 2021/22 | 238 | 133 | 98 | 56% | 41% |
| 2020/21 | 230 | 149 | 113 | 65% | 49% |
- Postgraduate Taught Degree
| Year | Applications | Offers | Entrants | Offer Rates | Acceptance Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 22,315 | 6,958 | 3,425 | 31% | 15% |
| 2023/24 | 21,536 | 6,167 | 3,145 | 29% | 15% |
| 2022/23 | 21,886 | 5,570 | 2,925 | 25% | 13% |
| 2021/22 | 23,848 | 6,044 | 3,179 | 25% | 13% |
| 2020/21 | 23,132 | 6,210 | 3,142 | 27% | 14% |
Acceptance Rate of Imperial vs Oxbridge
As a member of the G5 Group, Imperial College London is constantly being compared to the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, collectively named Oxbridge, the 2 most famous universities worldwide. So, are Oxbridge and Imperial harder to get into? Let’s compare their acceptance rates for undergraduate courses in 2024/25.
| University | Applications | Offers | Entrants | Offer Rates | Acceptance Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | 23,061 | 3,793 | 3,245 | 16% | 14% |
| Cambridge | 22,153 | 4,760 | 3,632 | 22% | 16% |
Apparently, fewer applicants choose Oxbridge compared to Imperial. However, the offers sent out by Oxbridge are also much fewer, resulting in a smaller gap between offer rates and acceptance rates. Therefore, the offer rates of Oxbridge are lower than those of Imperial, while the acceptance rates are the opposite. That is to say, it is still more challenging to get into Oxbridge. In addition, once the applicants to Oxbridge have received the offer, they will not throw away their shots easily.
Imperial Acceptance Rate: Course-based Proportions
The Imperial acceptance rate varies greatly depending on different factors, with the primary one being “course”. Understanding the divergent Imperial admissions statistics by different programs can help increase your success rate. Here are the most competitive and least popular programs at Imperial in 2024/25.
Most Competitive Undergraduate Programs
| Programs | Offer Rates |
|---|---|
| MEng Computing (Software Engineering) | 6.2% |
| BSc Economics, Finance and Data Science | 7.4% |
| BSc Mathematics with Statistics | 8.3% |
| MEng Computing (Visual Computing and Robotics) | 10.1% |
| BSc Mathematics with Statistics for Finance | 11.1% |
Least Competitive Undergraduate Programs
| Programs | Offer Rates |
|---|---|
| MSci Earth and Planetary Science with a Year Abroad | 83% |
| MSci Geology | 75% |
| MSci Chemistry with Research Abroad and a Year in Industry | 58% |
| MEng Molecular Bioengineering | 55% |
| MEng Materials Science and Engineering | 52% |
As shown in the chart above, the MEng Computing in Software Engineering program was the most selective undergraduate program at IC in 2024/25. The other popular courses are Economics, Finance, and Mathematics. If you want to apply to these subjects, make sure that your application and grades are good enough.
As for the easiest courses to get into, Geology-related programs, including Earth and Planetary Science and Geology, have offer rates of more than 75%. If you want to increase the probability of being admitted, you can choose such courses with high offer rates, but your interest and career plans are still the most significant considerations.
Most Competitive Postgraduate Taught Programs
| Programs | Offer Rates |
|---|---|
| MSc Computing (Software Engineering) | 9.2% |
| MSc Artificial Intelligence | 9.9% |
| MSc Computing (Security and Reliability) | 10.2% |
| MSc Statistics (Statistical Finance) | 10.6% |
| MSc Statistics (Applied Statistics) | 11.0% |
Least Competitive Postgraduate Taught Programs
| Programs | Offer Rates |
|---|---|
| MEd University Learning and Teaching | 100% |
| PGDip Digital Health Leadership | 97% |
| MSc Health Policy (Online) | 81% |
| MSc Quantum Fields and Fundamental Forces | 80% |
| MSc Bioscience Futures: Communication, Innovation and Entrepreneurship | 76% |
When it comes to the most popular postgraduate taught subjects, Computing and Statistics, with high market demand and high average salaries after graduation, have offer rates of less than 11%. The least competitive ones are in the field of Teaching and Health.
Most Competitive Postgraduate Research Programs
| Programs | Offer Rates |
|---|---|
| MRes AI and Machine Learning | 4.3% |
| MRes Chemical Biology and Bio-Entrepreneurship | 4.4% |
| MRes Bioinformatics and Theoretical Systems Biology | 14.2% |
| MRes Drug Discovery and Development: Multidisciplinary Science for Next Generation Therapeutics | 16.0% |
| MRes Biological and Physical Chemistry | 16.7% |
Least Competitive Postgraduate Research Programs
| Programs | Offer Rates |
|---|---|
| MRes Systems and Synthetic Biology | 61.9% |
| MRes Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation | 57.6% |
| MRes Cancer Biology (Cancer Informatics) | 55.1% |
| MRes Molecular Plant and Microbial Sciences | 51.4% |
| MRes Living Planet with Ecosystems and Environmental Change | 48.9% |
As stated in the 2 charts, the postgraduate research programs with low offer rates, like AI, Chemical Biology, and Drug Discovery and Development, are the strong subjects at Imperial, consistently ranking in the top 5 of various lists. Such courses also feature in accordance with the market demand and the contemporary trend. On the contrary, programs such as Systems and Synthetic Biology are not practical enough to be used in society, naturally leading to less competition.
Imperial College Acceptance Rate: Gender Ratios
Some degrees prefer male or female students for admission, so we also need to consider the Imperial college acceptance rate by gender.
Most Competitive Departments for Male
| Gender | Male | Female | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department | Applications | Offers | Offer % | Applications | Offers | Offer % |
| Business School | 1921 | 143 | 7.4% | 1092 | 80 | 7.3% |
| Joint Maths and Computing | 888 | 138 | 15.5% | 216 | 44 | 20.4% |
| Computing | 2958 | 482 | 16.3% | 824 | 117 | 14.2% |
| Mechanical Engineering | 1891 | 340 | 18.0% | 421 | 86 | 20.4% |
| Aeronautics | 1259 | 269 | 21.4% | 303 | 45 | 14.9% |
Most Competitive Departments for Female
| Gender | Female | Male | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department | Applications | Offers | Offer % | Applications | Offers | Offer % |
| Business School | 1092 | 80 | 7.3% | 1921 | 143 | 7.4% |
| Computing | 824 | 117 | 14.2% | 2958 | 482 | 16.3% |
| Aeronautics | 303 | 45 | 14.9% | 1259 | 269 | 21.4% |
| School of Medicine | 2076 | 343 | 16.5% | 1347 | 320 | 23.8% |
| Mathematics | 797 | 141 | 17.7% | 2156 | 580 | 26.9% |
From the tables of 2024/25 Imperial admissions statistics by gender, we can see that the male and female offer rates of most competitive departments are around the same, lower than 22%, while those of Joint Maths and Computing, Mathematics, School of Medicine, and Mechanical Engineering are divergent.
The offer rate of male applicants to Aeronautics, School of Medicine, and Mathematics is over 20%, much higher than that of female students, only 14%—17%. Especially for the School of Medicine, the female applicants are far more than males, but the offers given are pretty much the same. Therefore, for female students who want to apply to these departments, you need to take this into account since we can’t change it.
| Department | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Business School | 68.4% | 31.6% |
| Joint Maths and Computing | 85.2% | 14.8% |
| Department of Computing | 85.6% | 14.4% |
| School of Medicine | 48.6% | 51.4% |
| Department of Aeronautics | 85.0% | 15.0% |
| Department of Mechanical Engineering | 82.4% | 17.6% |
| Mathematics | 84.2% | 15.8% |
Obviously, most departments boast a much larger ratio of male students compared to females, except the School of Medicine. In conclusion, it would be wise for female applicants to choose Business School and School of Medicine. For male students, we recommend that you avoid applying to the Business School.
Imperial Admissions Statistics: International Applications
Imperial College London, as an internationally rewarded university, is home to plenty of overseas students. In this part, we will analyze the Imperial College acceptance rate 2024/25 for international students. Here are the 5 countries with the most applications received and offers made.
| Country | Applications | Offers | Entrants | Offer Rates | Acceptance Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 10913 | 3791 | 1606 | 34.7% | 14.7% |
| China (Including Hong Kong) | 8478 | 1837 | 845 | 21.7% | 10.0% |
| India | 1942 | 323 | 124 | 16.6% | 6.4% |
| Malaysia | 904 | 199 | 116 | 22.0% | 12.8% |
| Singapore | 655 | 171 | 83 | 26.1% | 12.7% |
Frankly speaking, there is not such a big gap between the Imperial acceptance rate of UK-domiciled and international students. However, the offer rate for British students is a little higher than that of applicants from other countries. The other over-presented countries on the list are all from Asia, like China, India, Malaysia, and Singapore. Among them, students from Malaysia and Singapore are at a greater advantage, which is shown by the relatively better Imperial admissions statistics.
Imperial College London Entry Requirements
Imperial College London has opened 70 undergraduate programs for the admissions of 2025. The grade requirement for A Level is at least AAA- A*A*A, and the IB is 38-42 points (the relevant HL subject scores need to reach between 6—7 points). Relatively speaking, the total admission data for the A Level is higher, and most IB applicants’ scores are concentrated above 40 points.
Tips for Increasing Your Success Rate
- Examination: Imperial College London is one of the few universities with strict written examinations and interviews besides Oxbridge. Make full preparations for the exam. You can ask your teachers, mentors, or current students at IC to grill you in a mock interview.
- Showcase your extracurricular activities and achievements: Imperial values well-rounded applicants. Extracurricular activities, such as volunteering, summer camps, and social practice, and your personal achievements all help showcase your passion, skills, and leadership potential.
- Focus on your PS: A personal statement (PS) is a precious chance to showcase your personality, passion, and goals. Please demonstrate your knowledge of your chosen field, highlight your strengths and achievements, and explain why you are the right person for the program.
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Conclusion about Imperial College London Acceptance Rate
After browsing the guide, you should have a clearer understanding of Imperial College London acceptance rate. This insight will help you make a wiser decision on what to apply for and give you a more profound sense of the competition you’ll be facing. Once you make full preparations and appropriate choices, you will get what you want. By the way, don’t forget to rent student accommodation through uhomes.com after getting the offer from IC!
FAQs about Imperial Acceptance Rate
Is Imperial harder to get into than Oxford?
Imperial College London is harder to get into than Oxford in 2024/25. The Imperial College acceptance rate for undergraduate courses is about 10% in 2024—2025, nearly 4% lower than Oxford.
What are the hardest courses to get into Imperial College?
The most challenging courses to get into Imperial College London are as follows.
| Programs | Offer Rates |
|---|---|
| MEng Computing (Software Engineering) | 6.2% |
| BSc Economics, Finance and Data Science | 7.4% |
| BSc Mathematics with Statistics | 8.3% |
| MEng Computing (Visual Computing and Robotics) | 10.1% |
| BSc Mathematics with Statistics for Finance | 11.1% |
Is Imperial College London hard to get into?
Imperial College London is one of the hardest universities to get into in the world, with an acceptance rate of only 10% for undergraduate programs and 15% for postgraduate courses. To increase your success rate, you must be well-prepared for a strong application and excellent interview.
